Needles!
by HeroWorshiper
Summary: Response to Ginger S Challenge.  This is my very first attempt at fan fiction, so please be gentle. This story shows us John Gage as a paramedic trainee...with Dixie, Roy, Johnny and the hypodermic needle in the "Wedsworth-Townsend Act


Here is my response to Ginger's Challenge. This is my very first attempt at fan fiction, so please be gentle. Though I've been thinking for a while that I might enjoy writing some, I suppose it took this bite sized teaser to get me in the game. Please enjoy!

**This story shows John Gage as a paramedic trainee, preparing for another day in his hospital instruction phase. We will see events leading up to, and following the scene with Dixie, Roy, Johnny and the hypodermic needle in the "Wedsworth-Townsend Act" pilot episode.**

**The characters of Emergency are not mine. If they were, I'd have included that crossover episode of Sierra in the final DVD set. Universal and Mark VII own these guys, I'm just borrowing them for a bit. I'll dust them off, and send them on their merry way when we are done.**

**"_Life comes with no guarantees, no time outs, no second chances" _–Unknown**

An annoying blaring sound filtered into his consciousness. "_What am I hearing?_" he thought as his bleary mind struggled up through the depths of sleep. With awareness slowly dawning in his foggy brain, John Gage realized the oh so annoying sound dragging him from peaceful slumber was his alarm clock. Reaching over to the bedside table, he gave the offending object a none too gentle swat to silence the irritating sound.

John Gage was usually a morning person; but not today. He'd spent the better part of last night studying his paramedic manuals, and he grumpily awoke this morning remembering exactly what today had in store for him. Today was to be the first day the paramedic trainees at Rampart General were to practice injections and intravenous infusions. Needles! Johnny hated them! Memories of times long past brought unpleasant associations with needles and hospitals, and though Johnny had willingly and eagerly jumped into the life saving notion of becoming a paramedic, the part of his training he had been dreading was the necessary evil of working with needles. Ugh…. And today he'd no longer be able to avoid the inevitable.

"_Choices, choices, life is full of choices. I am an adult, I can do this. I don't want to see people die without a chance to fight for life. I chose this path. I can do this", _he thought as he swung his lanky frame out of bed.

After a hot shower, quick shave, and hasty morning routine Johnny slid behind the wheel of his Land Rover. He slipped his key into the ignition, and with a flick of his wrist the key turned and the engine roared to life. As the vehicle warmed up in the crisp morning air, John glanced over and saw his training materials, and white lab coat resting in the passenger seat next to him. He looked at his image in the mirror assuring himself that his blue uniform shirt was neatly in place complete with shiny silver badge and name plate. After adjusting his navy blue neck tie, and a quick running of long slender fingers through dark hair, he put the Rover into gear, and prepared to turn out into morning traffic.

Johnny arrived at Rampart General Hospital a short fifteen minutes later. He pulled his vehicle into the visitor's lot of the hospital, and hastily gathered his things before heading into the building. As he walked toward the doors of the Emergency Department Johnny contemplated his impending day. Johnny's thought process went something like: "O.K., _how can I get through this day. If I volunteer to practice doing an injection first, then I won't end up getting stuck by anyone's first try. Hmm, sounds like a great plan. I've never even considered giving anyone else an injection, but sticking someone else first will likely beat all heck out of getting speared myself. So that's it then. I'll volunteer to go first."_ He sighed with relief. With a plan now in place in his mind, he embarked on his day with a bit more ease.

If only Johnny could stop his mind from thinking! But alas, his treacherous mind had other plans. He continued to think as he walked toward his doom. His mind began to second guess his master plan. It began with the idea _"But what if my plan doesn't work?"_ He also realized the needle practice was part of the training, and he started thinking' "_I'll still have to deal with this part of my training! Eventually I am gonna end up playing practice dummy! I am still gonna end up getting speared...ugh...needles!"_ Johnny's mind continued to circle as he walked. The thoughts flowed round and round, as if a massive vortex were whirling out of control inside his head, spinning and twisting with ever increasing speed and energy.

Roy DeSoto was leisurely sipping a steaming cup of coffee while leaning against the wall of the nurse's station in the Emergency ward of Rampart General Hospital. Several of the paramedic trainees had already arrived for the morning hands-on training session. In fact, there were five trainees present. The men had all drifted into the staff lounge to find themselves a bit of caffeine before there busy day began. Roy wondered where number six, John Gage, could be. Gage was usually early for training. Roy could tell Gage was excited to be part of the program, and John's timely arrival for every training day along with his quick intellect and obvious prior preparation had impressed Roy DeSoto. Yet, it was a mere ten minutes before class would begin, and the dark haired human dynamo that was Johnny Gage had yet to appear.

Just as Roy was finishing his coffee, his blue eyes caught sight of Johnny scurrying through the Emergency Room entry at the end of the hall near the admitting desk. Roy's covert observations noted Johnny's short, quick gait. It seemed to Roy that Johnny was lost in thought, and if Roy had to guess it also looked as if John Gage's disposition was more agitated than his usually frenetic demeanor. _"What's with him this morning?"_ Roy mused to himself. But instead of voicing his concern, Roy called out a cheerful "good morning Johnny." to his new friend.

Lost in his own world, Johnny had barely been aware of his surroundings as he walked quickly into the hospital. Roy's greeting caused Johnny to jolt into the present moment with a start. His expressive brown eyes widened, and his pupils dilated as his respiration became short, rapid and shallow. John stopped suddenly in his forward pace, as he realized where he was, and that Roy had been speaking to him. Brown eyes met blue ones as Johnny looked up and gasped an _"_Oh, um….hi Roy." with surprise evident in ever molecule of his persona.

Johnny saw piercing blue eyes focused on him now, boring into him as if those eyes were somehow able to see into his thoughts, and discern his dilemma. Then his mind began to race. He thought _"Why is he looking at me that way? Gosh, surely he can't see how I am feeling about today. Oh Spirits, please don't let him see I am terrified about this training session! I need to calm down already! I knew this day was coming. This is part of the training after all. Calm down, calm down. You can do this. Just stick to the plan"_

Again lost in his own process, Johnny failed to notice he was simply standing silently in the middle of the hallway. Suddenly movement caught John's attention as Roy put down his empty coffee cup and strode briskly toward him. Before Johnny had a chance to yank himself back to the present moment, Roy was standing in front of him, concern clearly visible in his sparkling blue eyes. "Johnny?" he inquired. "Are you o.k.?"

"I'm fine…..uh..great, just great!" Johnny lied. "I was thinkin. Didn't see you standin there is all." he said, hoping against hope to cover the upheaval he was experiencing. "We should probably get movin huh? Class is gonna start in a minute." Johnny said in a weak effort to deflect Roy's scrutiny.

Then Johnny thought "_Geeze, give me a break Roy_." Considering the undeniable urge he was feeling to bolt out the door or the encroaching dizziness from hyperventilation that tantalizingly invited him to pass out right there in the hall, Johnny silently rationalized he was doing pretty well given the current state of affairs. If only Roy would leave him alone for just a minute! Johnny couldn't help but fervently wish to call a **_time out!_** Only enough time to collect his thoughts and get it together before he had to deal with Roy's penetrating stare. Just an instant of peace before he had to face all those needles! Johnny's breathing, which hadn't ever really slowed, quickened in tempo yet again.

Now standing only inches from Johnny, Roy looked at his new friend. Roy's keen gaze noting the elevated respiration, and slightly dilated eyes. _"Wow! Something has Johnny really wound up."_ Roy thought. While he wondered what was going on, Roy realized there were only five minutes remaining until they were to file in to treatment room three to begin their training session. Although getting to the cause of Gage's upset was really what he would have preferred, Roy chose instead to help Johnny gain some equanimity. They could save the discussion for later.

Roy reached out and put a hand on each of John's shoulders. Making eye contact with Johnny, Roy said in a calm soft voice; "Johnny, take some nice deep breaths for me, o.k.?" Then without waiting for answer, or protest, Roy continued speaking. "Breathe in through your nose, slowly now…. ... and out through your mouth."

In Johnny's discombobulated state, Roy's approach was so startling and unexpected that John never thought to protest. The dizziness and tingling of hyperventilation were threatening to take him away and when Roy began to instruct him, John could only stand numbly and comply with the requested action.

"That's it Johnny, slow it down... In through your nose…. ...and out through your mouth." Roy soothed.

When Johnny seemed to have regained some composer, Roy released his shoulders with a light slap to his back. "Doing better?" he inquired of his friend.

John sighed deeply, running his long slender fingers through his dark hair. "yeah, I am. Thanks Roy." came the reply.

"Wanna tell me what's going on?" Roy asked.

"No" John said simply ("_make that no way!_" John said silently.). He felt like an idiot now, but he was grateful Roy had picked up on his predicament and helped him through it before things got really embarrassing. He shuddered as he imagined himself seemingly inexplicably passing out in the hospital corridor. _"Yikes!" _he thought, as he shoved the mental picture far away from his mind's eye.

Sensing the awkwardness of the moment in his friend, Roy draped his right arm lightly over Johnny's shoulder, and began leading him down the hallway toward treatment room three. The other trainees were beginning to enter the room, and Roy knew that neither he nor Johnny wanted to be late for class.

The students were to be instructed this morning by Ms. Dixie McCall, with Roy DeSoto's capable assistance. Dixie introduced the idea of sharps safety first. Next the group received instruction on drawing up medication. Each student was given a practice needle, and vile of sterile water to use, and instructed on extracting the liquid from the vile appropriately. Next the class learned to assemble the pre-loaded syringes for medication delivery. Then time was spent in discussion and practice of handling syringes, and of course disposal of syringes.

Johnny found he was actually beginning to enjoy the class. He was fascinated by all things mechanical, and the pre-loaded syringes were really cool, in his opinion. Since no needles were directed at him, even handling the devices was sort of fun. Next they were to practice injections on oranges. Hey, oranges are unfeeling fruit, and they (the oranges) didn't seem to mind the injections. Johnny was even beginning to relax. _"This isn't so bad after all. Besides, we only have about an hour to go until we'll be out for lunch! This morning might just turn out all right!" _Johnny thought.

Then it happened! Dixie told the trainees to pair up, and practice intramuscular injections on one another. But Johnny had a plan! He bravely asked one of the other trainees to partner with him. When it came time to actually do the IM injection, although it felt awkward, Johnny was ready to give it a try. John asked his trainee partner if he (John) could try giving the injection first. His partner agreed, and the plan seemed to be going well. John had assumed what he thought would be an effective stance for delivering the injection, and had paused with the needle in mid air before actually piercing his partner's skin. Suddenly Johnny heard Dixie's comment.

"I know we call it stabbing, but that's supposed to be a joke" Dixie said, looking at Johnny's strained posture. John froze right where he had been. He was poised now, motionless in the aborted attempt to pierce his partner's deltoid. "Roy, show em how the Army does it" Dixie said.

Before Johnny could wrap his mind around the ongoing scenario, Roy had taken the syringe from Johnny's hand, swiped an alcohol prep swab on Johnny's arm, and was prepared to inject the contents of the syringe into Johnny's arm.

"_O.K., wait just a dog gonned minute here!"_ Johnny thought. _"What the heck just happened?. I know he isn't about to stick ME with that thing!_" But, yes Roy was prepared to stick Johnny with the syringe. Brown eyes widened in horror. Johnny glared at Roy, and tensed his arm in preparation for the assault.

"Relax the arm Pall; It's only sterile water, not heroin" Roy gently teased as he waited for compliance with the hypodermic poised mid air above Johnny's arm.

Johnny inhaled deeply through his nose, and closed his eyes forcing his arm to relax as he slowly exhaled. Then the injection happened, and was over in a flash. Roy had quickly inserted the needle, pushed the contents, and withdrawn the needle. Johnny was impressed! It had all happened in one fluid motion.

"_O.K., that wasn't exactly pleasant, but it wasn't all that bad either." _Johnny thought. He had wanted to stop this day from coming. But, in that one deft moment, Roy with Dixie's direction had shown him a new possibility. He began to wonder if perhaps he would be able to help others, even with needles as tools, and by his help leave an impression with his patients that medical procedures though perhaps never pleasant might be bearable if accomplished with great skill, and nimble alacrity.

Roy saw Johnny visibly relax after the demonstration injection. Watching those brown eyes as several emotions seemed to flow through them, Roy was pleased. Somewhere, in Johnny's demeanor Roy sensed a choice had been made in Johnny's psyche. Recalling Johnny's near panic in the hallway earlier that morning, suddenly realization dawned for Roy. Johnny didn't like needles!

"_Sure glad I made this one quick and easy for you Junior!"_ Roy thought. He gave Johnny's back a light slap, and smiled warmly at the younger man. Roy made a mental note to corner…er take Johnny aside, and let him practice doing IV's with Roy in private before the hands-on work in class the following day. Roy dreaded the inevitably bruised arms he would likely endure following any practice sticks, but knew that for Johnny in the realm involving needles, there might never be a second chance. Roy wanted to show this promising young man there was potential for great healing. By confronting Johnny's fear, good would be found for many patients yet to come, and quite possibly for Johnny as well.

Suddenly it became clear to Roy, John Gage was an opportunity for growth waiting to happen. Roy now knew who he would request as his paramedic partner when this group graduated. Johnny Gage had such potential, and though there were no guarantees John would be as good as Roy thought possible, Roy intended to hang around to see.

The class was dismissed for lunch just as Roy was concluding his private reverie. As Johnny attempted to make his escape from exam three Roy latched onto Gage's arm gently ushering the younger man out the door toward the hospital cafeteria. They needed to talk.

While the two men walked down the hospital corridor, Roy's mind drifted to a saying he'd once heard. "_Life comes with no guarantees, no time outs, and no second chances."_ Then Roy silently added to himself "_and no regrets."_


End file.
